Fuse cutout



E. M. MEYER June 25, 1940.

FUSE CUTOUT Filed March 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. M. MEYER FUSE CUTOUT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed llarch 25, 1935 Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FUSE CUTOUT corporation of Ohio Application March 25, 1935, Serial No. 12,971

12 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in electrical fuse cutouts and the devices with which they are assembled and operated. Cutouts for high tension electric circuits are customarily 5 mounted in exposed places and in special housings. These cutouts function through the action of fusible links which serve to break-the circuits under abnormal service conditions. The replacementof such a fuse when blown frequently neces- 10 sitates the inspection of several such fuse housings before the blown fuse is located, causing considerable delay and expensein restoring the interrupted service.

It is an object of my invention to meet this 1] problem by providing a fuse cutout in a housing so arranged that in the event of the fuse link becoming broken, a visual indicationwill be given of the fact by the cover of the housing falling into an open position by gravity.

a It is also an object of my invention to have the cover of the housing, together with the holder 'of the broken fuse link, dropped away from the terminals of the circuit and thus maintain an effective break in the circuit.

25 A further object of my invention is to provide means by which the cover of the housing will be maintained in closed position so long as the fuse is in serviceable condition unless deliberately opened by the expenditure of considerable manu ual force. This result is accomplished by making the fuse-holder itself a part of the latching means for the cover.

Among the objects of my invention is the provision of means operating instantly on the breaking of the fuse link to disengage the cov' from its latch and to permit the cover to fall open by the force of gravity.

Incidental to my invention I have provided novel means by which the fuse link itself is used to control the position of the fuse-holder and of the cover for the housing. r

For the p rpose of illustrating the'preferred form of my invention I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings in which a Fig. l is a vertical section of my fuse cutout taken on the line l-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a vertical front view of the device with the cover removed and taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

5 Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing in full lines the position of the parts when the fuse link has been blown and in dotted lines the ultimate position with-the cover open;

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-section taken on I thelineHofFlg. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view partly in section of the fuse-holder unlatched;

Fig. 6 is an enlargedside view of an alternative form of fastening for the fuse-holder and Fig. 7 is a similar view taken at right angles to 5 Fig. 6.

The essential features of my invention comprise a fuse-holder so designed as to form a connecting link between the housing cover and its latch and operable to unlatch the cover when- 10 ever the fuse is blown. By' my arrangement the cover tends to drop into open position by gravity, thus effectively maintaining the electrical circuit open. At the same time the fuse-holder is placed in convenient position for its safe removal and replacement without further handling or removal of the housing cover. In the unlatching movement of the fuse-holder it is partially released from one of its retaining means on the cover and thus its complete removal is facilitated.

Referring particularly to the form of the invention shown in the drawings I have provided a housing ll of the conventional form for expulsion fuses. This housing H is made of some suitable insulating material which may be porcelain; a phenol-formaldehyde condensation product or some artificial resin. This housing is open at the front but has a top l2 capable of withstanding the weather. The side walls l3, l3 have suitable openings I4 positioned for the convenient insertion of the high tension electric cables of the circuit which it is intended to protect. The side walls also have two wings l5 spaced at the bottom end for carrying the pivot trunnions l6 of the cover. 1

The bottom of the housing-ll has an opening ll opposite the open end of the fuse-holder. Suitable means I! are provided in the rear wall of the housing by which the latter may be mounted rigidly upon a cross arm, pole or other structure. It is to be understood that the housing is adapted tobe mounted in vertical position as shown in Fig. l but preferably tilted for-- ward to a slight extent to facilitate .the action 01' gravity in causing the cover to drop down into open position.

The interior of the housing is open except for the transverse barrier or baflie I9 which fits closely around the fuse-holder and serves to prevent any arcing of the electric current between the top and bottom terminals.

The cover 20 is made of the same or similar composition as the housing. The cover is hinged at the bottom on the trunnions It. The cover also has one or more angular extensions 2| of ledge 23 which forms an abutment or positioning means for the fuse-holder.

The upper portion of the interior of the cover has fixedly secured thereto a collar 24 of brass or other conducting material in which the fuseholder is received. The sides of the collar 24 are vertically slotted as at 25 to form seats for latching lugs mounted on the fuse-holder. In

actual use this retaining loop may be molded integral with the door if the door is made of an artificial resin such as Bakelite.

On the inner wall of the cover and directly above the abutment 23 there is a pair of spring clips 26 suitably proportioned to hold the fuseholder rigidly in the collar 24 and against the abutment 23.

The terminals forthe cables of the electric circuit in which the cutout is to be used, are positioned against .thebaclr walls of the housing and opposite the openings i4, I4 in the side walls. These terminals comprise castings of brass or similar material in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The upper terminal comprises a casting 21 which has at its upper end an apertured terminal tube 28. This tube extends for the full width of the interior of the housing as shown in Fig. 2 for the convenience of co-operating with either ofthe openings |4, H. The customary binding screws 29, 29 are provided, one at each end of the tube 28.

The main portion of the terminal casting 21 has a strap or yoke 22 across its back portion. This yoke has arms 2| extending forwardly and with off-set ends which seat in the side walls of the housing and anchor the terminal against the pull exerted in the unlatching movement 0 the fuse-holder.

The front face of the casting 21 carries a similarlatch yoke 22. The latch arms 22 forming part of the latch yoke 22 extend forwardly and face inwardly opposite the slots 25 of the collar 24 when the cover is closed.

The casting 21 also carries a laminated spring contact 24 which extends upwardly from the terminal and opposite the top of the housing or above the end of the fuse-holder as shown in Fla. 1.

The lower terminal consists of a similar casting 25 also having a cable-receiving tube 25 and binding screws 21, 21. The casting 25 has a yoke 22 the ends of which are anchored in the side walls of the housing in the same manner as the arm members 2|.

The top of the casting 25 carries an oblique contact member 40 built up of laminations of resilient brass or the like.

The fuse-holder proper consists of a tube- 4| made of suitable fiber composition. The upper end of this tube carries a brass ferrule 42. This ferrule has a screw-threaded cap 42 which serves to clamp the button head of the fuse link. Extending laterally-from each opposite side ofthe ferrule 42 is a brass h1g These'lug's' are suffic'iently long to extend-beyond the collar 24 underneath the ends-cr bs 1at -r9e a accepts as will be evident from Figs. 2 and 4. Since these lugs 44 pass through the slots 25 of the collar it follows that the lugs serve to hold the cover in closed position as long as the fuseholder maintains its upper position of installation. When, however, the tube 4| and the ferrule 42 are caused to move downwardly withdrawing the lugs 44 from the slots 25, the lugs pass beyond the lower ends of the latch members 33. This results in releasing the cover and it then falls by gravity away from the housing.

Suitably spaced on the tube 4| there is firmly attached a metallic ring 45 which serves as a stop or abutment for the tube in its downward movement.

The lower end of the tube 4| has a secondferrule 46 in the form of a flxed ring with opposite wings or guides 41 as shown on Fig. 5. The ferrule 46 is spaced from the extreme lower end of the tube 4| so that the attaching means for the fuse link need not project beyond the open end of the tube 4|.

Intermediate the ring 45 and the second or lower ferrule 46 there is provided a sleeve 42. This sleeve is freely slidable on the tube 4|. The upper portion of the sleeve 48 is cylindrical and terminates in a flange 49 thus providing a grooved seating portion 50. The lower portion of the sleeve 48 is generally square in cross-section with v 0nd ferrule 45 and against a shoulder in the sleeve 42 thus constraining the latter to rest against the upper ring or stop 45.

One side of the squared portion of the sleeve 42 carries a binding post for the free end of the stranded fuselink 52.

In the preferred form of my device the binding post 54 is in turn mounted upon spring arms anchored to the side of the sleeve 42 by screws 55, rivets or the like. A knurled nut 51 on the binding post 54 serves to fasten the fuse link 52. Beneath the free end of the spring arms 55 there is provided a latch bar 52. This latch-bar 52 engages over the end of the lower ferrule 45 when the spring 52 is compressed. The latch bar is held in this position by tension from the fuse link 52. When the link 52 fuses and breaks, spring arms 55 withdraw latch 52 into the position shown in Fig. 5 and permit the spring 52 to withdrawn from the-slots 25 and from the latch members 22. This results in the release of the cover in the manner above described and its fall away from the vertical path between the terminals. In this operation the grooved portion 52 being gripped by the spring clip 22 obviously is the fixed position with relation to which the tube and its permanently attached parts are moved by spring 52. v

A simple and satisfactory modification of the tube holding and releasing means is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In this modification the sleeve 42 is the same as above described. The lower ferrule 59 takes a slightly different form, however, but cooperates with the tube 4| and sleeve 4! in the same manner bymeans of spring 52. A binding post 50 extends outwardly from one side of the sleeve 42. The fuse link 52 in the form of a flexible stranded cable is wrapped around the binding post 60 and held tightly in position by means of a winged nut 6|. In this arrangement the fuse link 53 withstands the strain of spring 52 without reliance upon a latch or other mechanical means. In other respects the operation is the same as that above described.

From the above description it will be readily understood by those familiar with this art that I have provided a simple and eflicient means of arranging the fuse-holder in the closed housing in such manner that the maintenance of the cover in latched position is dependent upon the serviceable condition of the fused link and that this link forms an intermediate portion of the latching device. The fuse-holder is released for rapid withdrawal from one terminal contact by the melting of the fuse link. In this way the blown condition of the cutout is rendered easily observable from a distance and the manner of interrupting the circuit is rendered more certain and effective.

The preferred form of my device has been described by way of example without limiting changes in minor details within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing and adapted to swing open by gravity, a recessed collar attached to the cover, a spring clip on the cover spaced from the collar, a sleeve held by said clip, a fuse-tube slidable in said sleeve, a ferrule on one end of the tube, lugs on the ferrule extending transversely beyond the collar and seated in the recesses thereof, latches mounted within the housing and engaging said lugs, resilient means on the tube for impeliing it to move relatively to the sleeve and to release the lugs from the latches, and means to control said resilient means.

2. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing and adapted to swing open by gravity, a recessed collar attached to the cover, a spring clip on the cover spaced from the collar, a sleeve held by said clip, a. fuse-tube slidable in said sleeve, a ferrule on oneend of the tube, lugs on the ferrule engaging the recessed collar,

latches mounted within the housing and engaging said lugs, resilient means on the tube for impelling it to move relatively to the sleeve and to release the lugs from the latches, and a fuse link controlling said resilient means.

3. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing and adapted to swing open by gravity, a recessed collar attached to the cover, a spring clip on the cover spaced from the collar,

a sleeveheld bysald clip,a fuse-tubeslidable in said sleeve, a ferrule on one end of the tube, lugs on the ferrule engaging the recessed collar, latches mounted within the housing and engaging said lugs, resilient means on the-tube for impelling it to move relatively to the sleeve and to release the lugs from the latches, a fastening on the sleeve and a fuse link attached thereto for controlling said resilient means.

4. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing and adapted to swing open by gravity, a recessed collar attached to the cover, a'spring clip on the cover spaced from the collar, a sleeve held by said clip, a fuse-tube slidable in said sleeve, a ferrule on one end of the tube,lugs on the ferrule engaging the recessedcollar, latches mounted within the housing and 6 8 8 8 said lugs, resilient means on the tube for impelling it to move relatively to the sleeve and to release the lugs from the latches, a springheld latch on the sleeve, a fastening on the latch and a fuse link attached thereto for holding said spring-held latch.

5. A- fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing and adapted to swing open by gravity, a recessed collar attached to the cover; a spring clip on the cover spaced from the collar, a sleeve held by said clip, a fuse tube slidable in said sleeve, a ferrule on one end of the tube, lugs on the ferrule engaging the recessed collar, latches mounted within the housing and engaging said lugs, a second ferrule on the opposite end of the tube, a coil spring between the sleeve and the second ferrule, and means to hold said coil spring under compression and the lugs in contact with the recessed collar and first named latches.

6. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing and adapted to swing open by gravity, a recessed collar attached to the cover, a spring clip on the cover spaced from the collar, a sleeve held by said clip, a fuse tube slidable in said sleeve, a ferrule on one end of the' tube, lugs on the ferrule engaging the recessed collar, latches mounted within the housing and engaging said lugs, a second ferrule on the opposite end of the tube, a coil spring between the sleeve and the second ferrule, afastening on the sleeve and a fuse link attach'ect thereto for controlling said spring and holding the lugs in contact with the recessed collar and first named latches.

7. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing and adapted to swing open by gravity, a recessed collar attached to the cover, a spring clip on the cover spaced from the collar, a sleeve held by said clip, a fuse tube slidable in said sleeve, a ferrule on one end of the tube, lugs on the ferrule engaging the recessed collar, latches mounted within the housing and engaging said lugs, a second ferrule on the opposite end of the tube, a coil spring between the sleeve and the second ferrule, a spring-held latch on the sleeve, a fastening on the latch and a fuse link attached thereto for holding the latch against the second named ferrule and with the lugs in contact withthe recessed collar and first named latches. I

8. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing and adapted to swing open by gravity, a recessed collar attached to the cover, a spring clip on the cover spaced from the collar, a sleeve held by said clip, a fuse tube slidable in said sleeve, a ferrule on one end of the tube, lugs on the ferrule engaging the recessed collar, latches mounted within the housing and engaging said lugs, a second ferrule on the opposite end of the tube, said seconinamed ferrule having guides slidable through the sleeve, resilient means on the tube for implling it to move relatively to the sleeve and to release the lugs from'the latches, and means to control said resilient means.

9. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing and adapted to swing open by gravity, a recessed collar attached to the -cover, a spring clip on the cover spaced from the collar,

, a sleeve held by said clip, a fuse-holder slidable in said sleeve, a ferrule on one end of the tube, lugs on the ferrule engaging the recessed collar, latches mounted within the housing and engaging said lugs, a second ferrule on the opposite end of the tube, a fixed ring intermediately of the tube, a coil spring forcing the sleeve toward the ring, and releasable means holding the sleeve spaced from the ring and with the lugs in positlon to engage the recessed collar and first named latches.

10. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing and adapted to swing open by gravity, a recessed collar attached to the cover,. a spring clip on the cover spaced from the collar, a sleeveheld by said clip, a fuse-tube slidable in said sleeve, a ferrule on one end of the tube, lugs on the ferrule engaging the recessed collar, a terminal mounted in the housing opposite the collar of the cover, latching means on the terminal for engagement with the lugs on the ferrule, a resilient conductor on the terminal for contact with the end of the ferrule, resilient means on the tube for impelling it to move relatively to the sleeve and to release the lugs from. the latching means, and means to control said resilient means.

ll. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing and adapted to swing open by gravity, a collar attached to the cover, said collar being slotted, a spring clip on the cover spaced from the collar, an abutment on the cover adjacent the spring clip, a lower terminal in the housing, a spring contact on the terminal, an upper terminal in the housing, a spring contact on the upper terminal, a latch on the upper ter= aaoaeae minal, a fuse-holder consisting of a tube having at one end a ferrule with a removable cap resting against said spring contact, extending laterally beyond the slotted collar and into engagement with-the latch, a ring on the tube, a second ferrule on the opposite end of the tube, a guide on the second ferrule spaced from the tube, a slidable sleeve on the tube, a grooved seat on the sleeve for the spring clip, a coil spring between. the sleeve and the second ferrule, a. spring arm on the sleeve, a latch on the spring arm, a binding post on the spring arm and a fuse linl: epassing from the upper ferrule through the tube to the binding post and holding the latch in engagement-with the second ferrule.

12. A fuse cutout comprising a housing, a cover hinged to the housing, a collar attached to the cover, a spring clip on the cover remote from the collar, a sleeve removably held by said clip, a fuse-tube slidably held in said collar and sleeve, said sleeve having an enlarged recessed end, a fuse-tube slidably held in said collar and sleeve, a ferrule fixed on the side of the fuse-tube, a coil-spring seated in the recessed 'end of the sleeve and against said ferrule, and a spring-latch on the sleeve for engagement with said ferrule.

EDWIN M. MEYER.

9, lug on the ferrule 

